SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Major Leaguer Earns Save in Eagle Victory : Division V: White Sox’s Tim Fortugno helped young Calvary Chapel pitchers hit their spots.

When he pitched for the Angels, Tim Fortugno did not have a great impact. But Fortugno did in the Southern Section Division V final Friday, even though he now plies his trade with the Chicago White Sox.

During the major league players strike, Fortugno, a former Southern California College pitcher, worked out with and counseled two young Calvary Chapel pitchers, sophomore Josh Stewart and freshman John Tucker. They combined to lead the Eagles to their first Southern Section title, defeating Long Beach St. Anthony, 4-2, at Blair Field.

Stewart pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, giving up both runs and three hits, but still earned his 10th victory. Tucker, who had to work out of a bases-loaded situation in the seventh, got the final outs for his third save.

Both said advice from Fortugno helped them enjoy this season.

“He helped me with my balance on delivery and worked with me on my curveball,” Stewart said. Tucker said Fortugno also helped him with balance and in keeping his pitches low. “He was always very positive,” Tucker said.

Fortugno would have been proud of both pupils Friday.

Stewart--a transfer from Tustin--was given four runs in the first and was determined to make the lead stand up. He had watched Calvary lose last year’s championship game from the stands, as the Eagles gave up five runs in the first inning. Stewart said: “After what happened last year, I knew we had to win.”

He held a 4-1 lead into the sixth but got into trouble with one out. An error, hit batter and RBI single cut the Eagles’ lead in half. To make things worse, the Saints pulled a double steal after Tucker was brought in.

But catcher Chance Ling caught Joshua Zak leaning too far off third, trapping Zak in a rundown. On his way back to third, Zak crashed into shortstop Jerry Quenzler, covering the base, and was called out for running out of the baseline.

“That was the one out we needed,” Tucker said.

Normally, Eagles Coach Joe Walters would have been nervous to put the championship hopes of Calvary Chapel in the hands of two youngsters.

“Except these were the two that were [winning] all year long,” he said.

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County baseball champions After Orange High School won the first Southern Section championship, Orange County teams managed only two more titles over the next 48 years, a period dominated by San Diego High School’s 16 championships. In the last 20 years, however, county teams have won 25 titles.

Year Div. Champion Runner-up Score 1914 Orange Long Beach Poly 8-4 1919 Fullerton Pasadena 11-9 1927 Fullerton Alhambra 9-0 1962 3-A Costa Mesa San Marino 5-3 1968 4-A Savanna Long Beach Poly 5-1 1972 2-A Sonora Oxnard Channel Islands 5-3 1976 2-A El Dorado Manhattan Beach Mira Costa 2-1 1978 4-A Servite Arcadia 6-1 3-A Fullerton Lynwood 1-0 1980 4-A Mater Dei El Segundo 7-6 1981 4-A Westminster Edison 3-0 2-A Corona del Mar Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe 3-2 1982 3-A Santa Ana Fullerton 3-2 1983 3-A Loara Cerritos Gahr 5-2 2-A Capistrano Valley Norwalk 3-2 1984 3-A Canyon Lompoc 2-1 2-A Laguna Hills Norco 5-4 SS Newport Christian Santa Monica Crossroads 8-7 1985 4-A Fountain Valley Camarillo 3-2 1986 4-A Esperanza Fontana 9-3 1987 3-A Troy Riverside Arlington 7-4 2-A Capistrano Valley Whittier La Serna 6-2 1-A Whittier Christian Playa del Rey St. Bernard 8-6 1989 5-A El Dorado Long Beach Millikan 2-0 3-A Kennedy Saugus 1-0 1990 5-A Marina Diamond Bar 6-4 1991 4-A Capistrano Valley Canyon 8-3 1993 I Esperanza Simi Valley 3-0 III Tustin La Quinta 3-2 1994 I Fountain Valley Lakewood 3-2 III La Quinta Torrance West Torrance 3-1 1995 V Calvary Chapel Long Beach St. Anthony 4-2